A radiographic pilot project for assessing bone health and patient response to treatment for bone disease launched two years ago has since grown to such proportions that we are now proposing a demonstration project to fully develop the potential of the system as a reliable, efficient and economical service to the medical community and to investigators engaged in allied research. Heretofore, the lack of a quantitative radiographic method for determining weight (mass), size and density of selected human bones relative to normal values has forced physicians to accept in its stead highly subjective judgments based on visual scrutiny. The automatic computer/scanner system we propose to use analyzes radiographs taken with ordinary X-ray machines and processed by conventional means. Films received by mail would be scanned and reports of patient skeletal status or response to treatment would be sent by return mail. The proposed facility would include a Digital Equipment Corp. PDP-12 computer connected on-line to a high-speed Optronics film scanner (Model P-1,000). Our slower pilot equipment would be reserved for developing program improvements and for auxiliary services. A trained staff would conduct continuous evaluation of system efficacy. We envision that after three demonstration years the operation would become self-supporting and serve as a model for similar self-supporting facilities in other parts of the country.